3. Reading Assignment 1

UbD Readings
Read Introduction and Chapter 1 in Understanding by Design.


Throughout the course, we'll present various perspectives on students, standards, learning theories, and curriculum design frameworks with the intent to balance, provide context, and sometimes even challenge our use of Understanding by Design.
Take a look at these two visions of what today's students should know and be able to do.

• ISTE National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS-S)

• Partnership for 21st Century Skills - Framework for 21st Century Learning

Where do these frameworks (UbD, ISTE NETS, & P21) overlap? Where are they in conflict? What's missing? How do these frameworks fit with what we viewed and discussed in class (Change to Learn video, Papert video, bow drill video)?


Also, consider what others have said about this topic:

• Dan Willingham - Flawed Assumptions Undergird the Program at the Partnership for 21st-Century Skills
• Jay Matthews - The Latest Doomed Pedagogical Fad: 21st-Century Skills
• Andrew J. Rotherham - 21st-Century Skills Are Not a New Education Trend but Could Be a Fad
• Diane Ravitch - The Partnership for 19th Century Skills
• Alfie Kohn - When “21st-Century Schooling” Just Isn’t Good Enough: A Modest Proposal
• Collection of Posts on Scott McLeod's blog, Dangerously Irrelevant: Reconciling standards- and data-driven accountability with 21st century skills – Wrap-up
• Evan Abbey - 21st Century Skills = fluff?